Gone, but not forgotten: Confederate Flag issue in Haywood could re-emerge soon

Haywood County commissioners may soon revisit the unsettled issue of whether Confederate Flags can be flown on the lawn of the historic Waynesville courthouse.

County commissioners were caught in a maelstrom last year when a philosophical debate broke out between supporters and opponents of the Confederate Flag. Proponents wanted to place Confederate flags at the base of a Confederate memorial on the courthouse lawn to honor veterans who fought in the Civil War. But the county received complaints from those offended by the flags and enacted a temporary ban.

The county commissioners contemplated an official flag policy but never formally adopted it, citing the need to work with the language some more.

In the meantime, the debate simmered down. The flag policy may come back up for discussion this month, however.

“I do think it is going to be on the agenda sometime in May,” said David Teague, the county’s public information officer.